After a web of paper, which has been fed through a web-fed rotary printing press, is printed, it is fed into a folder apparatus for further processing. In the folder apparatus, the web is generally cut and folded into signatures. The signatures are then separated into a plurality of product streams, and then output for further processing. The separation of signatures into a plurality of product streams can be accomplished by providing a pair of rotating fan assemblies in the signature path.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,033 to Breton discloses a folder apparatus including first and second rotating fan assemblies rotating in opposite directions. Cut and folded primed products (e.g., signatures) are transported by high speed conveyor belts into the immediate vicinity of the rotating fan assemblies. Each of the fan assemblies includes a plurality of fan blades, the tips of the fan blades defining the circumference of its respective fan blade assembly. On each of the fan assemblies, adjacent fan blades form pockets for receiving the cut and folded primed products. The circumference of the first fan blade assembly intersects the circumference of the second fan blade assembly and vice versa. To prevent collision between the respective fan blade assemblies, each fan blade has, at its outer radial region, a recess for receiving the tips of the blades of the other fan blade assembly. As each cut and folded printed product exit the high speed conveyor belts, they are alternately received in the pockets formed by adjacent fan blades of one or the other of the fan blade assemblies.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,638 purports to disclose a delivery fly arrangement for use with a folder of a printing press, and U.S. Pat. No.4,881,731 purports to disclose an apparatus for feeding sheets, particularly bank notes.